Virginia State Police stationed a unit on the James River Bridge grid deck seven times during the month of June, according to data the agency provided the Daily Press on Friday.

Corinne Geller, a spokeswoman for Virginia State Police, said Friday she did not have information available for patrols troopers made in July and August yet. The agency could not immediately provide details as to how much money the Virginia Department of Transportation was invoiced for the troopers' patrols.

When contacted by the Daily Press, VDOT spokeswoman Lauren Hansen said Thursday the agency did not keep a log of dates it had requested state police to patrol the grid deck.

VDOT entered the agreement on June 1 with state police after a spike in the number of crashes on the bridge's steel grid deck this year. Under the terms of the agreement, VDOT will request state troopers to patrol the grid deck during rush hour "when wet conditions exist." According to a safety audit of the James River Bridge performed by VDOT released in July, it rained 12 days in the month of June.

VDOT has to request the state troopers on the grid deck "no later than 3 p.m. the day before a forecasted weather event," the document says.

The agreement then stipulates that state police "will use its best efforts to seek volunteer sworn employees to work paid overtime" to patrol the grid deck. State police also charge VDOT a 10 percent "administrative fee" and the cost of mileage.

But state police said working other accidents takes priority over providing a state trooper for the grid deck. Geller said the agency has been short-staffed this summer, and many troopers are taking vacation during August.

Hansen said VDOT may request state troopers during off-peak and weekend hours at the James River Bridge as needed, separate from the overtime pay listed in the agreement. The department requested troopers on the grid deck last weekend because of rainy conditions, but none were available, according to VDOT spokesperson Brooke Grow. Geller told the Daily Press troopers were busy working accidents and also staffing the Southampton County fair.

Between February and July, VDOT says 20 crashes took place on the newly installed deck, including one fatal accident on July 1 involving an Isle of Wight woman, Kayla Williams, 20.

The new grid deck's installation was completed in December of 2012 at a cost of $3.8 million by Curtis Contracting. VDOT is now spending an additional $1 million to place metal studs on the grid deck to increase traction on the bridge.

The work, scheduled to begin next week, is expected to take nearly three months and will involve single lane closures.

Dates Virginia State Police patrolled the James River Bridge grid deck in June